Thans RickN. How tall is your bench? I'm 5'6" and won't be using the hydralics anytime soon. I think a standard kitchen counter height is too high for me. Dave T.

 

I bought a $120 bench at Menards, bolted the loader almost flush with the front and it worked fine. The kind I bought had shelves. I set on of the shelves at a height that was about mid way from the floor. By drilling a 5" hole in the table at the shell drop point and using a plastic drain pipe, I was able to direct the shells into a 'bucket boss' bag, which holds 300 shells. Pretty nice actually. The table is narrow enough that I can't flip the primer lid all the way back. I just slit the top of the primer box, lay it down, and slide the primers off. I can fill the whole primer tray that way.

My 'perch' is a bar stool, and while I have a hydraulic, I think it would work for the manual as well. BTW - get the hydraulic!

 

I just remove the pin in the back and lift off the cover. This makes it eaiser to slider the cover off the primers.

 

I'm using a standard size card table for mine until the workbench gets finished. I would for sure go at least 30" for depth. I'm having mine made at 36" which should supply plenty of room. Doing the same thing with the plastic drain pipe for shell catching.

For height, I would recommend that you wait until your loader arrives and then set the height for what works best for you. I was planning on around 32" high, but I'm leaning toward 30" for comfort pulling the handle.

HJH

 

Mine is 30" deep from the front of loader. You would need about 34 1/2"
from the front of loader to fully open primer tray lid.

But it has never presented me a problem. Or, like rea5339 says, just pull the pin
at the back where the lid hinges.

My table was built before I got the Spolar. I've shrunk to about 5'6" and it
doesn't bother me. It stand at 33". PAR8HED says to wait until you have the
loader and go from there---I agree. This loader is so damn smooth you won't
believe it! Make sure you watch the video first--it's worth it's weight in
GOLD!!!

Follow Mishell Spolars advise and take your time---smooth is more important
then speed. Now I have the hydraulics and this is a "Dream Machine". Hydraulics
use a Baldor Motor and Parker Hydraulic Pump and Controller. First class all
the way, just like the loader.

For the shell drop, I followed Spolars advise and used a 4" to 3" pvc
adaptor. Had to cut a 4" diameter hole for the adaptor. Cost $6.29
locally. Then all your shells can either dump into a drawer, bucket, bag,
or whatever your choice is. Mine go into a drawer I built.

My only regret is I didn't get a Spolar Power Load a long time ago! I hope you
enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.

Mike Cunningham
Groveland, CA
ATA Life Vet
Proud owner of #2274

 

Spolars are great machines,

 

If your primer lid does not open past vertical, you can always pull the primer box forward instead of rearward. Just lift it a little, (over the primers on the tray), and you can fill the entire primer tray without having to remove the lid. Been doing it this way for over 50,000 shells.

Spolars are awsome!!! And I use the pull bar!! Been thinking about the electric drive unit though.

Tomas

 

pull

 

I didn't have enough room on my bench to allow the primer cover to fully open. I believe that the video that comes with the unit shows you how to slit the side of the box of primers, lay in on the tray and slip the box off. Or, perhaps, it was Dixie who showed me how to do it at the '08 Grand. Either way, it is easy to do.

Or, just pull the pin.

I love my Spolar!

Bob

 

The newer Spolar reloaders come with a detent pin hinge on the primer tray. We have sold the new hinge and pin to some owners; but all of the postings above are correct, it is not difficult to put the primers in from the side, or to slide the primer box sleeve foward instead of back on the primer trays that don't have the detent hinge.

Also, our reloading tables are 30 inches deep. The measurement of the Spolar reloader from the front edge of the base plate to the back of the primer tray is 21 inches.

Dicksie Spolar
800 227 9667

 

I have a Spolar, had it for over ten years now, and I have nothing but superlative compliments to say about the machine and about the service provided by Carter and Dixie. It is such a pleasure to deal with a company that still does business in the "old" manner than made America great.

My Spolar came with the old style "open vertically only" primer tray and I later bought the conversion kit to allow me to remove the detent hinge pin and lift the tray top off to fully fill. Works just fine.

If you back your bench up to a wall as mine is, to try to get a bench deep enough to just allow you open fully vertically would require a VERY deep bench. The removeable detent pin takes care of this problem.

My bench is made from an old solid door...so that's the width. Wouldn't really want it any deeper just to allow for vertically opening primer tray.

Once again, my compliments to the Spolars for running customer service the way it should be done.

Cheers

Stephen Meyers

 

Thank you Dicksie. I look forward to receiving my machine in December. Dave T.